Methods and systems for searching and associating information resources such as web pages

Abstract

A method manages information resources in a computer system. The method includes receiving user information from an input device. The user information is representative of a declaration that a second resource accessible by the system should be associated with a first resource. The method further includes storing in association with the second resource an identifier of the first resource. The method identifies other resources that are relevant with respect to the second resource using a relevance scoring process. The method further determines whether the second resource with respect to other relevant resources has a first identifier associated herewith when one of the other resources is to be accessed by the system for display, and if it does, displays signaling information distinct from the display of the other resource itself signaling of the existence of the first resource.

1. A method for managing information resources in a computer system for the purpose of resource retrieval, said resources including a first resource to be retrieved and a second resource obtained independently from said first resource and having a potential relevance relationship with other resources based on a relevance scoring process, the method comprising:
 a) receiving user information from a user input device, said user information being representative of a declaration that said first resource is associated with said second resource for the purpose of being later retrieved, and storing information relative to this declaration; 
 b) when selecting said second resource by a user input device:
 b1) based on said stored information, further displaying an indicator of the existence of said first resource, 
 
 c) when selecting an other resource:
 c1) determining whether said other resource is relevant with respect to said second resource, 
 c2) if step c1) has determined a relevance between said other resource and said second resource, based on said stored information, further displaying an indicator of the existence of said first resource, 
 
 d) retrieving said first resource utilizing said indicator displayed when selecting said second resource or said other resource, 
 wherein said first resource is retrievable although it initially had no connection with the second resource. 
 
     
     
       2. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said user information received in said step a) is representative of a declaration that said first resource is associated with several second resources, all said second resources being obtained independently from said first resource. 
     
     
       3. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said second resource comprises a group of resources, and wherein said relevance scoring process finds other resources based on an input including said group of resources. 
     
     
       4. The method as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said group of resources comprises resources derived from a browsing context. 
     
     
       5. The method as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said group of resources forms a spot of resources. 
     
     
       6. The method as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said relevance scoring process comprises implementing a search engine based on the analysis of links between various resources based on an input query comprising a series of resource identifiers designating the resources of said group. 
     
     
       7. The method as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said other resources belong to a plurality of resources forming a browsing context. 
     
     
       8. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said step c1) is performed by comparing a relevance score with a threshold. 
     
     
       9. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said step c1) is performed by using relevance data previously obtained by said relevance scoring process performed between said other resource and said second resource. 
     
     
       10. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said step c1) is performed by performing said relevance scoring process between said other resource and said other resource once said other resource has been selected. 
     
     
       11. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said indicator comprises a link to said first resource. 
     
     
       12. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said step a) comprises receiving information from said user input device which is a pointing input device, said information being representative of actions made with said pointing input device on displayed graphical objects representative of said first resource and said second resource. 
     
     
       13. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said step a) further comprises the storage in a user associative memory of information representative of an association between the first and second resources. 
     
     
       14. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said first resource is a personal file, and said second and other resources are web pages. 
     
     
       15. A method for managing information resources in a computer system for the purpose of resource retrieval,
 said resources including a first resource to be retrieved 
 and a second resource obtained independently from said first resource and having a potential relevance relationship with other resources based on a relevance scoring process, the method comprising: 
 a) receiving user information from a user input device, said user information being representative of a declaration that said first resource is associated with said second resource for the purpose of being later retrieved, and storing information relative to this declaration; 
 b) when accessing said second resource by a user input device:
 b1) displaying said second resource, 
 b2) based on said stored information, further displaying an indicator of the existence of said first resource, 
 
 c) when accessing an other resource, by a user input device:
 c1) determining whether said other resource is relevant with respect to said second resource, 
 c2) displaying said other resource, and 
 c3) if step c1) has determined a relevance between said other resource and said second resource, based on said stored information, further displaying an indicator of the existence of said first resource, 
 
 d) retrieving said first resource utilizing said indicator displayed when accessing said second resource or said other resource, 
 whereby said first resource is retrievable although it initially had no connection with the second resource. 
 
     
     
       16. The method as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein said user information received in said step a) is representative of a declaration that said first resource is associated with several second resources, all said second resources obtained independently from said first resource.